TextbyChuJiwang
AsConfuciusadvised,peopleshould“reviewtheoldtobetterlearnthenew.”
Sincethefoundingofmycompany,NingboRuyiJointStockCo.,Ltd.,in1985,IhaveroutinelyshowcasedmyproductsattheChinaImportandExportFair,alsoknownasCantonFair,whichisheldeveryspringandautumn.Myoncesmallcompanyhasnowparticipatedinthefairover50times.Tome,ithasbecomeadynamic“book”thatalwaysinspiresmeeachtimeIreadit.Idoenjoyreadingit.
Inrecentyears,IseldombumpedintooldacquaintancesattheFair.WhenImetthem,theyalwaysasked:“Whyareyoustillhere?”AndIreplied,“Icametoread.Astheoldsayinggoes,‘Nevertoooldtolearn.’Icometoreadthe‘book’everyyear,andeachtime,Ifindsomethingnew.”
The“book”depictsthelatesteconomicprogressfromaroundtheworld,revealshowfarIlagbehindwithmyrivals,andspreadsmybrand,Xilin,toallcornersoftheworld.Ihavedevotedmyyearstoonlyonebrandandonebusiness.Andforit,Iperformedenoughgooddeedstolastalifetime.
Thisyear,IranintoaclientfromTaiwan,whoinformedmethathehadbeenourpartnerforseveralyears.Hewashesitanttomoveonbecausewehadn’tyetmadeanybigdealstogether.
“Don’tworryaboutthat,”Isaid.“Businesshasmadeusfriends.Won’twestillbefriendsevenifwedon’tdoanybusiness?”
Businessmenhavemanyopportunitiestomakefriends,butmostofthemaretheleastsincereoffriends.Theyarewealthieryetcheaper.Iknowthisfrommyownexperience:Ihavebeeninbusinessforover30years.IcouldnevercounthowmanytimesI'veshakenhandsandhugged–farmorethantenthousandtimes.ButIcancountonmytwohandsmytruefriends.Myclassmatesandbattleallieshaveremainedunchanged.
TheclientfromTaiwannodded:Seldomistheheartinvolvedwhenthe“friendship”isbasedonmutualbenefits.Itmakessensebecausethefriendshipsareformedbythoseengaginginbusiness.
Inancienttimes,Chinesebusinessmendidn’tenjoyelevatedsocialpositions–theytrailedscholars,farmers,andartisans.Mostregimessuppressedmerchants.Menoflettersofallageslookeddownonthem,andtheywerecriticizedasbeinginterestedineconomicgains.Insomedynasties,thegovernmentrequiredmerchantstowearonewhiteshoeandoneblack.
Despitethefactthatdealscannotbemadewithoutgains,commercehasservedasanecessarycarrierofsocialprosperity.Sincemoderntimes,especiallysincetheimplementationofeconomicreformandopening-uppolicies,Chinahasdramaticallyupgradedthesocialfunctionandstatusofbusinessmen.However,forthem,credibilityshouldalwaysbevaluedregardlessofindustry.
Ofcourse,modernmerchantsarebestowedwithanewhistoricmission:Serveasabridgepromotingeconomicdevelopmentinallcountries,aninspirationforinnovation,andaleadertoreachouttotheworld.Rulesarerules,andbusinessisbusiness.Businessisaboutmakingmoney,andacountrycannotbestablewithoutbusiness.Yet,doingbusinessentailssomuchmore.
Ihopethatallbusinessmencanbeargreatersocialresponsibility,domoregooddeeds,movefurther,andgetstronger.
ChuJiwangispresidentandfounderoftheNingboRuyiJointStockCo.,Ltd.,amajorChineselogisticsequipmentmanufacturer.Morethanjustanentrepreneur,ChuisarecipientoftheChinaCharityAward,thetopphilanthropichonorinthecountry.Ineachissue,heshareshisbusinessinsightsandinspirationsgainedfromhislifeexperience.